Posts Tagged 'wisdom'

did I get a ticket???

Published May 2, 2012 enemies to intimacy , family , Holy Spirit , living , prayer 3 Comments
Tags: , , ,

So today, I got pulled over by the police near a stop sign that I’ve struggled with in the past – translation:  I’ve rolled through this stop sign before & gotten a ticket.  But I came to a complete stop, looked both ways & noticed the nice policeman waiting for stop sign violators, of which I was not one.  Anyways, he flipped his lights on & started following me.  I stopped & was curious to know what this attention was about.  When he came to my window, he wanted to know if my son was wearing his seatbelt, to which I politely replied, “Yes, sir.  He was most certainly wearing his seatbelt.”  End of the story, I didn’t get a ticket :)

I wanted to be lippy & talk back to the officer, but I didn’t do that, thanks to the help of the Holy Spirit.  It always pays to “think twice & be nice.”  With the Holy Spirit’s help & intervention, we can do this & save ourselves a boat load of trouble :)

Christmas in April ,)

Published April 16, 2012 enemies to intimacy , family , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , relationships , saving moses , spiritual 2 Comments
Tags: , ,

We all have lots of things that we want:  more time, job promotion, coffee, happy marriage, safe and healthy kids, security, achievements, healthy relationships, etc.  But with all of these things and lots more, there’s a very IMPORTANT essential ingredient (except for the coffee one, sort of) and that is wisdom.

Wisdom has tremendous value in every area of our lives and when we neglect to pursue wisdom we can often fall short on our goals and the many good things that God has for us.  So remember that James says that we should ask God for wisdom and have faith that He will give it to us.  So let’s be certain to ask God for wisdom on our jobs, in our marriages, with our finances, in our relationships, etc and then watch & listen carefully for His diverse, amazing and relevant wisdom to spring up in our lives :)

I’d like your feedback

Published March 12, 2012 Uncategorized 13 Comments
Tags: , , , ,

 Greetings!  I’ve been thinking about writing this blog for quite awhile now & it seems to be the right time now to solicit your wisdom & input.  I’m keen to know if and what topics you’d interested for me to write about.  I’ve tried to keep a broad range, but it would be super helpful to me to know what is interesting & helpful to you.  So please, please, please and one more PLEASE leave your feedback for topics in which you’d be interested – thanks ahead of your time your wisdom & help!!! :D

ever feel impatient?

Published November 28, 2011 enemies to intimacy , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , relationships , spiritual Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

 Recently, I’ve been somewhat frustrated with one of my friends because they’ve made some very silly decisions that have had some fairly negative consequences.  I find myself being impatient with my friend & wanting them to change.  I’m trying to watch the words that I say to my friend, so that I don’t hurt their feelings due to my impatience.  So far, here’s my impatience insights:

  • if impatience is left unchecked, it can be very destructive
  • impatience isn’t only related to our words, but it also can affect our attitudes & actions, so that even if we don’t say anything, we must still remain vigilant against even its subtle expression
  • sometimes it helps to talk about how we feel, but its important to be responsible for our own feelings & not give someone else control of how we may feel or act
  • sometimes the best antidote to impatience is a slow, intentional & methodical application of patience
  • James 1:4 – let patience have her perfect work so that you may be mature & complete.  Give patience permission to work in your life :)

variety doesn’t mean empty

Published November 26, 2011 enemies to intimacy , family , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , relationships , spiritual 1 Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

  My boys woke up fairly early this morning & we’ve been sitting together reading a little bit.  They were just discussing between them what we could make for breakfast, given what we’ve had over the last few days (french toast, bacon, pancakes, etc).  They’re thinking of making cinnamon toast & I’m pushing for scrambled eggs for a protein boost.  Nevertheless, there are many different options for today’s breakfast :)

The same is true for God’s provisions in our lives.  I’m learning that God’s provisions for me come in lots of different ways.  Here are some of the varieties of ways that God provides in our lives:

  • time (unexpected cancelled activities, something takes less time than expected)
  • wisdom (creative ideas, insights, solutions, etc)
  • energy (strength in what has been draining)
  • quiet & still (these can be very rejuvenating)
  • encouragement & direction (even in small amounts & with 1 step at a time)
  • God’s presence – for me, there’s nothing more sustaining than when I am with God

So if you’re in a season that seems short on supply, perhaps it might be an interesting exercise to reconsider the various ways that God does supply for us :)

balancing important priorities

Published November 20, 2011 enemies to intimacy , family , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , spiritual , travel 1 Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

  I get asked the question alot about balancing family, travel, ministry, church, work, etc. and I think its a GREAT question that I also frequently ask.  I’m comfortable to share my thoughts on the balance topic, with the foundational understanding that I don’t see myself in any way as an expert on the subject, nor would I even pretend to be all-knowing on this really important question.  With that being said, here are some of my thoughts:

  • for me, balance is often a moment by moment & decision by decision activity
  • being flexible is essential for balance
  • focusing on what is most essential helps me to keep my balance
  • balance sometimes means that I have to re-shuffle schedules, plans & activities (with this re-shuffling, its important not to get cranky about a change of plans)
  • for me, margin is essential for balance – when I fill time & energy to the maximum, I find it hard to concentrate & make good choices
  • balance requires wisdom – a gift that God gives to us when we ask Him with faith

Balance – a very good goal that requires agility, wisdom & nimble choices :)

aid for charades

Published November 16, 2011 enemies to intimacy , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , spiritual Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Charades is a fun game to act out lots of different things.  If you’ve played this game in a group, you know that you’re supposed to act something out & help your team guess your word(s) based on your acting.  This game can be lots of fun, but unfortunately, I think we play this game in our life, from time to time.  Here are a few examples:

  • Sometimes I think we pretend to be humble, when the reality is that we’re merely insecure.
  • Sometimes I think we pretend to be confident when the reality is that we’re arrogant
  • Sometimes I think we pretend to be peaceful when the reality is that we’re apathetic
  • Sometimes I think we pretend to be strong when the reality is that we’re scared
There are lots of other ways we live the charade game & ultimately, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to be humble, confident, peaceful, strong, etc.  But my sense is that we can’t really have these things well integrated into our lives as a normal reality without God’s help.  Just some food for thought :)

freedom of speech

Published October 21, 2011 enemies to intimacy , living 2 Comments
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

 In America, we are very intense about our right to the freedom of speech.  We have no appreciation for anyone who would try to censure our opinion or limit our expression.  And in some ways, I really appreciate this right & I wholly appreciate the sacrifices that have been made to retain this privilege.

On the other hand, just because we have the right to freedom of speech doesn’t mean that we should say anything & everything we want.  Proverbs says that even a fool appears smart when they keep their mouth closed.  There is tremendous wisdom in knowing when to say something, what to say & to whom something should be said.  These choices can be very productive if we make the decision to be constructive with our opinions & freedom of speech & not merely selfish.  In the end, the right to freedom of speech with a selfish intent is often more destructive than constructive.  Here’s a simple idea that I’m trying to work into my daily living:  I want to compliment & encourage more than I criticize & judge.  Want to join me?  :)

why pray?

Published October 11, 2011 Holy Spirit , living , prayer , spiritual Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , , ,

 I’ve had an interesting recent 48 hours.  Sunday evening, I was doing our family grocery shopping & I was chatting with God about something that was really bothering me.  At the end of our chat, I basically asked Him to either help me accept this challenging situation & make adjustments or to change the situation.  Within 24 hours, I found myself in a conversation that was immediately addressing the situation that God & I had just discussed.  Needless to say, I’m thanking God for His speedy work!

Furthermore, this morning I was looking for a file on my computer & became frantic when I couldn’t find it because there were other people who are relying on this document!  So over the course of lunchtime, I shot up another quick prayer asking God to help me find this file & voila – I found it!

While these things may seem small to you, for me they’re indicative of God who listens & is engaged in my daily living.  What I like most about prayer is that its the place where I get to wholly be with God – where I eliminate distractions, tune into His presence & interact.  I love sensing God’s presence, voice, direction, etc.  Prayer is also a fun adventure to see the different ways that God answers our requests & needs.

what’s so good about wisdom???

Published September 21, 2011 Holy Spirit , living , spiritual Leave a Comment
Tags: , , , , ,

  I’ve been thinking a lot, lately about wisdom.  In fact, I’ve been trying out that “Read a Proverb a Day” plan (since there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, it makes it easy) & I’m really liking it!  I’m getting ready to start my 3rd time around & its been really helpful.  Here are a few quickie take-aways that seem to be sticking to my ribs of late:

  • timing reveals a lot about a person’s level of wisdom or foolishness
  • doing the “right thing”, while not easy, is wise
  • anger can sabotage wisdom
  • wise friends can also be scratchy but can also make us more sharp
  • wisdom listens more than it talks
  • wisdom is priceless

Next Page »

sarahbowling

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 100 other followers

Goodreads

No data found
Book recommendations, book reviews, quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists

 

May 2012
M T W T F S S
« Apr    
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 100 other followers